UKSim Fourth European Modelling Symposium on Computer Modelling and Simulation

Supervision and regulation of home automation systems with smartphones

Bjrn Bittins

Jrgen Sieck

Michael Herzog

INKA research group

University of Applied Sciences, HTW
Berlin, Germany
bittins@htw-berlin.de

INKA research group

University of Applied Sciences, HTW
Berlin, Germany
j.sieck@htw-berlin.de

University of Applied Sciences,

Magdeburg-Stendal, Germany
michael.herzog@hs-magdeburg.de

world with the technology of ones own home to control

most home appliances and systems en route wherever you
are.

AbstractHome automation and building services systems are

integrated in many homes and buildings to meet the needs of
comfort, security and efficiency of the customers. On the other
hand, mobile devices such as handheld devices and
smartphones are providing location-independent access to the
Internet and local networks. This paper describes the
requirements to combine these two mediums to supervise home
automation systems with smartphones. It presents the design
and implementation of an iPhone application that allows the
retrofitting of mobile devices into an existing KNX home
automation system without the need of specific hardware or
skilled technicians. An approach to use configuration files,
which arise during the installation of KNX home automation
systems, for the initial setup of the mobile application is
discussed.

II.

The idea of combining these two technologies is not new.

The existing standards for home automation and building
services define gateways to RF and IP networks. Several
systems support the integration of specific mobile terminals
and smartphone applications, which can connect to home
automation systems, are spreading.
The disadvantage of existing systems and applications is
that the integration of smartphones is not trivial. In most
cases special hardware, which matches the used system or
application, and skilled technicians are necessary for
integration and configuration purposes.

Keywords: Home automation, KNX, smartphone, iPhone

I.

AIM

INTRODUCTION

The
development
in computer
and
mobile
communication technologies in recent years enables us to
communicate and access business and private local networks
from almost any location. According to Iftode and others [1]
[] the people are not taking advantage of this ubiquitous
computing world. In their opinion [] smartphones are
the devices that have the greatest chance of successfully
becoming universal remote controls []. This is supported
by Gartner Inc. market studies which found that sales of
smartphones grow fast while mobile phones decline [2].
Like smartphones conquering the market home and
building automation systems are integrated in more and more
new and existing buildings: The era of stupid houses
expires announced dpa in 2009 [3]. According to them
home automation systems will soon become the standard for
new houses. More and more consumer electronic and white
goods will be inherent parts of our homes. Several bus
technologies are now available for integrating the various
systems such as heating, light and multimedia into home
automation systems in ways that they are assessable and
programmable via central controls.
Mobile communication and home automation
technologies are mature and adequate devices capable and
available. The next logical step is to combine the mobile
Figure 1. Use cases of the smartphone application uniKNX [4]

978-0-7695-4308-6/10 $26.00 2010 IEEE

DOI 10.1109/EMS.2010.80

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The aim of this paper is to evaluate the options for

integrating smartphones into standardized home automation
systems and presenting the prototype application uniKNX
that was designed and implemented in [4]. This prototype
application shows a way of integrating an iPhone into an
existing KNX home automation system without the necessity
of specific hardware components or skilled technicians.
Therefore the prototype must provide a simple configuration
and handling. With the prototype application, reading and
changing the status of basic home appliances such as lights
and temperature sensors should be done (see Figure 1. )
without the need of additional hardware and a complex
configuration process.
III.

isolated solutions are being created, e.g. one for heating,

another for lighting, which are not interconnected [9] (see
Figure 2. ).

Figure 2. Communication with conventional electric installation [9]

FUNDAMENTALS

A. Smartphones
According to Lin [5] a smartphone is a combination of a
mobile phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA). Typical
features are a colour display, enhanced wireless
communication technologies, persistent memory and an
advanced operating system (OS) [6]. Most smartphones
come with additional environmental sensors such as GPS
and accelaration sensors.
Furthermore, smartphones are characterized by high
performances, simple handling via touch screen and
expandibility by third party applications.
These characteristics emphasize smartphones as perfect
platform for the system to be developed.
The third party applications can be web based services or
native applications. Web based services run typically in the
web browser of the application. Advantage of this approach
is the high platform independence. Nevertheless not all web
standards and techniques are supported with mobile
browsers. The downside of web based applications is that
access to specific hardware and sensors, e.g. GPS,
acceleration sensor and camera, of the smartphone is limited
or not possible. Better utilization of the available hardware
and access to sensors and other components is possible with
native applications. Software development kits (SDK) and
frameworks of the manufactor or third parties help
developers to make use of the full potential of smartphones.
The disadvantage of native applications is the fact that
developers have to implement their application for various
platforms.

1) KNX/EIB
The requirement of easy to install and flexible home
automation lead to the development of open bus systems in
the early 1990s. With these, complex systems are
practicable. They can be controlled centrally and adjusted
easily to changing needs.
In Europe the fieldbus system Konnex (KNX) is a widely
spread standard for home automation and building services.
Power lines and wires for information transfer are separated.
All appliances and actuators are connected amongst each
other via the information bus and thus all information is
available at any point of the bus (see Figure 3. ).

Figure 3. Communication with KNX bus system [9]

The KNX bus system is structured hierarchically in areas,

lines and members. A unique ID identifies members
(actuators and appliances). Furthermore, they can be
assigned to groups, which represent all members that are
needed for a specific task, e.g. all switches and actuators for
switching lights in a room. These groups are also structured
hierarchically in main-, mid- and sub-groups.
Telegrams are used for communication amongst the
members of the home automation system. Telegrams that are
sent to a group address will be received and processed by all
members of this particular group. As a result of this behavior
no central organization is needed within the system. With a
KNXnet/IP router these telegrams can be distributed to IP
networks. The KNX standard defines a multicast IP address,
224.0.23.12, and port, 3671. To communicate with KNX
home automation systems via IP devices this multicast
address must be used.
On the one hand the flexibility of KNX fieldbus
systems is achieved through the possibility of
reprogramming the members to implement new tasks.

B. Home automation
Home automation systems are spreading quickly as
Frank [7], Merz [8] and Kriesel [9] report unanimously.
Main stimulating factors are the increased comfort and
security needs of customers as well as better efficiency
through energy savings. These needs cannot be satisfied with
conventional electric installations anymore.
To implement complex automation tasks with
conventional electric installations, barely manageable wiring
would be necessary. Furthermore, such an installation would
be inflexible because all the wiring is fixed as needed for a
particular
automation
task
between
the
appliances and actuators. As Kriesel points out, only

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KNX groups are possible without the need of specific or

additional hardware and without th
he help of professionals.
Scenario 1 is the topic of this paper
p
and the prototypic
implementation refers to this scenariio.

Furthermore, various interfaces and gatew

ways such as IP,
GSM and DMX are available to connect thee KNX system to
other systems.
IV.

AVAILABLE SYSTEMS

Several options are available to supervvise and regulate

KNX home automation systems en route. W
Widely spread is
the so called home server. This is a local P
PC, which gathers
all information from the home automattion system and
offering a visualization of it. Some homee servers offer a
web-based platform to access the main funnctionalities. The
advantage of this approach is the platform
m independency.
Only a web browser is needed to access thee service. On the
other hand, these home servers do not offfer standardized
interfaces to access the information. Morreover, telegrams
that originate from within the home automattion system, such
as security violation messages, cannoot be sent to
smartphones directly. A delegate of this ccategory is Gira
Home Server [10].
Another approach is a native applicationn for the specific
mobile platform. Within these, mechanismss to receive these
telegrams or other messages can be impllemented. In this
scenario the smartphone communicates direectly with the IP
gateway of the KNX system. Although K
KNX is an open
standard some applications of this category require gateways
of a specific manufacturer to work. iKnix [11] is a delegate
of this category. The iKnix iPhone applicaation requires the
iKnix-Port as IP gateway used in tthe KNX home
automation system. Other applications of thhis category such
as ayControl [12] will be distributed by sspecialty retailers
and professionals only due to the complex seetup.
The downside of all the approaches is the complicated
configuration that comes with the integration of
smartphones. Often the setup of a home server or mobile
application is very complex and skilled technicians are
needed for this task.
To achieve the aim of developing a systeem, which can be
integrated, configured and used in a sim
mple way, a new
approach is needed. All available systems ddo not meet these
requirements. These systems are based onn the assumption
that skilled technicians do the integration andd configuration.
V.

Figure 4. Application environment with smartphone

s
connected to local
WiFi (scenario 1)) [4]

Scenario 2 offers enhanced functionalities. In this

scenario, KNX telegrams that originate from within the
urity violation messages,
home automation system, e.g. secu
can be send to mobile devices that are not connected to the
bile devices were the
local wireless network or mob
application is not necessarily activee. This scenario is subject
of future research.

UNIKNX LOW-CONFIGURATION
N APPROACH

As discussed above, all currently availaable systems and

applications need professionals for setup annd configuration.
In order to make the integration of smartphhones possible for
users who are not familiar with KNX systeems, the effort of
configuration must be reduced to a minimum
m. In [4] another
approach to integrate smartphones into hhome automation
systems is discussed. It is assumed thhat professionals
(respectively people with the required knowledge) are
installing and setting up the home automatioon system itself.
Figure 5. shows the application environment of a lowconfiguration system as designed for the prototypic
ment is subdivided
application uniKNX in [4]. The environm
into two scenarios. Within scenario 1 an iiPhone, which is
connected to the local wireless network, is being integrated
into an existing KNX home automationn system. Basic
functions such as determining and changging the state of

Figure 5. Application environment with smartphone not connected to

o 2) [4]
local WiFi (scenario

The setup and programming of KNX members and

pecific software termed
groups must be done with sp
engineering tool software (ETS). With this software, two
d. The first configuration
configuration files can be exported
file contains information about all
a KNX members, e.g.
member name, physical address, asssigned group address and
data point type1. The other file holdss information about KNX
groups, e.g. group name and grou
up address. Professionals
1

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Data point types define how to interpreet the payload of a telegram.

can provide these configuration files when the home

automation system itself is being integrated into the home.
In other applications most effort is taken to configure the
user interface. Technicians can access the properties of KNX
members and reprogram them using the ETS software. They
can determine the data point type of a specific group with the
information provided in the software. The data point type is
then used to link the group to specific user interaction
elements such as switches, sliders or buuttons inside the
mobile application. Without access to the ETS software and
knowledge of the KNX standard the linkage between KNX
groups and interaction elements is very difficcult.
The mobile application designed and implemented in [4]
retrieves all needed information from the configuration files.
The linkage between KNX data point types and common
elements for user interaction are defined within the
application. The user imports the two configuration files that
were provided by the technicians, which installed the home
automation system. Within the applicatioon both files are
parsed and the necessary information is saved permanently
into a XML structure (see Listing 1.). This structure
combines the information of both configuration files and
follows the topology of a KNX home automation system.
The main node project contains general information about
the home automation system. The KNX group hierarchy is
reflected in the child nodes of the project. The main-, midand sub-group nodes contain the information about all KNX
members assigned to the specific KNX group.

VI.

DEMONSTRATION AND TEST

When a user selects a KNX group within the mobile

application (see Figure 6. left-hand side), the user interaction
elements are created at runtime as specified (see slider for
dimming in Figure 6. right-hand side). These elements will
be shown on the screen and can be used to display or change
the state of the specific KNX group.

<project name="uniKNX house" dpt="true">

<maingroups>
<maingroup id="0" name="uniKNX house">
<midgroups>
<midgroup id="0" name="actions">
<subgroups>
<subgroup id="1" name="Switch lights room 1">
<payload_length>1</payload_length>
<dpt>1001</dpt>
<assocDevices>
<device>
<name>Switch 1 short</name>
<physicalAddress>1.11.2</ph ysicalAddress>
<groupAddress>0/0/1</groupAddress>
</device>
</assocDevices>
</subgroup>
</subgroups>
</midgroup>
</midgroups>
</maingroup>
</maingroups>
</project>

Figure 6. Application views: group view (left), group detail view (right)
[4]

Tests of the prototypic application showed that the lowconfiguration approach enables nonprofessionals to integrate
an iPhone into an existing KNX home automation system.
Due to the simple configuration process and usage of the
application no technicians are needed to set up and run the
prototype. The downside of this low-configuration approach
is that only basic functionalities of KNX such as binary
switches, dimmer and the display of values, e.g. temperature
and humidity, can be mapped. To implement enhanced
functionalities, e.g. bell circuits, more information than the
configuration files provide are necessary. The ETS software
withholds a lot of important information. Only general
parameters of a KNX member can be exported. But getting
information about the current configuration of a member
automatically is very difficult. As long as the export
functionalities of the ETS software remain limited, skilled
technicians are necessary to provide additional information
to implement enhanced functionalities. The way of providing
additional information will be subject of future research.
VII. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RESEARCH
Integrating smartphones into home automation systems is
up and coming. Several applications are available for home
automation systems that conform to the KNX standard.
Downside of all current applications is that the integration

Listing 1. XML structure to represent KNX home au tomation systems

(excerpt) [4]

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[2] Gartner Inc. (2009, August) Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Phone
Sales Declined 6 Per Cent and Smartphones Grew 27 Percent in
Second
Quater
of
2009.
[Online].
http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1126812

requires skilled technicians for configuration and in some

cases specific hardware to connect the smartphone to the
home automation system.
Reference [4] discusses the uniKNX low-configuration
approach were less configuration effort is required by
gathering needed information about all KNX members and
groups from two configuration files. These files can be
exported from the ETS software and provided to the
customer after technicians programmed all KNX members
and groups.
With this approach, integrating smartphones into existing
KNX home automation systems is quickly done. No
background knowledge is needed. Downside of this
approach is that only basic functionalities can be
implemented due to missing information about KNX
members in the configuration files.
Future research will concentrate on finding ways to
provide additional information to implement enhanced
functionalities. Furthermore, integrating additional standards
of home automation systems, e.g. LonWorks, into the
application will be part of future research.

[3] dpa. (2009, June) Fenster auf, Heizung aus: Schlaue Huser im
Kommen. [Online]. http://www.n-tv.de/ratgeber/Schlaue-Haeuser-imKommen-article325538.html
[4] Bjrn Bittins, "Steuerung und berwachung intelligenter
Gebudetechnik
mit
mobilen
Endgerten,"
FB4
Wirtschaftswissenschaften II, Hochschule fr Technik und Wirtschaft
Berlin, Berlin, Bachelor Thesis 2010.
[5] Feida Lin and Yen Weigou, "Operating System Battle in the
Ecosystem of Smartphone Industry," Proceedings of the 2009
International Symposium on Information Engineering and Electronic
Commerce, pp. 617-621, 2009.
[6] Pei Zheng and Ni Lionel M., "Spotlight: the rise of the smart phone,"
Distributed Systems Online, IEEE, 2006.
[7] Karlheinz Frank, KNX/EIB Grundlagen Gebudesystemtechnik.
Berlin: Huss-Medien, 2009.
[8] Hermann Merz, Thomas Hansemann, and Christof
Gebudeautomation. Mnchen: Carl-Hanser-Verlag, 2010.

[9] Werner Kriesel, Frank Schollik, and Peter Helm, KNX/EIB fr die
Gebudesystemtechnik in Wohn- und Zweckbau. Heidelberg: Hthig,
2009.

VIII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

[10] Gira GmbH. (2010) Gira Server fr das Instabus KNX/EIB System.
[Online]. http://www.gira.de/produkte/instabus-server.html

This paper describes the work undertaken in the context

of the project Poseidon hosted by the research group
Information and Communication Applications (INKA)
[13] that are gratefully funded by the European regional
development fund (ERDF).
IX.

Hbner,

[11] empure. (2010) iKnix. [Online]. www.iKnix.com

[12] EasyMobiz Mobile IT Solutions GmbH. (2010) ayControl - die
mobile KNX Visualisierung fr iPhone, iPod touch & iPad. [Online].
http://easymobiz.com/de/produkte/aycontrol
[13] INKA research group. INKA research group "Information and
Communication Systems". [Online]. http://inka.htw-berlin.de/

REFERENCES

[1] Liviu Iftode, Christian Borcea, Nishkam Ravi, Porlin Kang, and Peng
Zhou, "Smart Phone: An Embedded System for Universal
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